A First World War Victoria Cross winner is to be honoured with a commemorative paving stone ins a street which is named after him.

The stone to Private Henry Robson will be unveiled in a ceremony on Sunday December 14, marking the 100th anniversary of the act of gallantry which won him the VC.

The event will take place at noon in Robson Close, South Shields – one of a number of streets on Gentoo’s new Beechbrooke housing development in the Simonside area to be named after VC winners.

The Mayor of South Tyneside, Fay Cunningham will lay a wreath during the ceremony after the stone is officially unveiled by Ed Malcolm, chairman of the South Tyneside’s Armed Forces Forum.

Coun Malcolm said: “This year is a hugely important year for the Armed Forces, marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, and it is very fitting that the selfless act of valour shown by Private Henry Robson is being commemorated in his birthplace.

“This memorial stone will provide a lasting legacy to Private Robson in the very street named after him in the town he was born for local people to see and pay their respects.

“It will be a poignant event, giving us all an opportunity to honour the local heroes and the sacrifices they made for their country in this terrible war 100 years ago, and in subsequent conflicts around the world. We are determined to make sure their bravery is never forgotten.”

The event will begin with a procession led by a piper of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, followed by a short service of dedication and remembrance carried out by Reverend Paul Kennedy, who will read out a citation to Pte Robson.

Coun Malcolm will then perform the stone unveiling, before wreaths are laid by the mayor and Colonel James Finlay on behalf of Pte Robson’s old regiment. This will be followed by the lament The Flowers of the Forest, the Last Post and a minute’s silence. The service will end with ‘Reveille’.

Serving soldiers from the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland – successor unit to Pte Robson’s old regiment, The Royal Scots. - will also be present.

Military organisations involved in the ceremony also include The Royal Scots Association, The Royal British Legion and the Durham Light Infantry Association.

The stone is part of a national scheme that will see every Victoria Cross recipient of the First World War – 628 in total – commemorated.

Two more South Tyneside men who were awarded the medal during the First World War, Joseph Collin and Thomas Young, will be honoured with commemorative paving stones in 2018 to mark the centenary of their actions.

Pte Robson was born in Hampden Street, South Shields in 1894 and died in Toronto in 1964. He joined The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) in 1912 .

He was honoured with the Victoria Cross for his bravery near Kemmel, near Ypres in Belgium on December 14, 1914, when he left his trench under very heavy fire and rescued a wounded officer.

He subsequently made an attempt to bring another wounded man into cover while exposed to severe fire. During this attempt he was wounded but he persevered until rendered helpless by being shot a second time.

Pte Robson was later given the Freedom of the Borough of South Shields in 1915. He died in Canada where he had served as the Sergeant-at-Arms in the Ontario Parliament in Toronto.